ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

A hand sanitiser dispenser that uses the alcohol in the product to power itself is claimed to be a world first by Ophardt.

This means no batteries are required in the dispenser's operation, says marketing and communication manager Markus Theissen.

"We aimed to create a dispenser that was completely autonomous," he said. "Sustainability is an important part of our strategy and we wanted to generate energy without all the waste that batteries create."

A small proportion of the alcohol-based hand sanitiser in the Praesidion dispenser is converted into electrical energy on reaction to the oxygen from the ambient air. The isopropanol then produces the energy required to drive the touchless mechanism of the dispensers making it entirely self-sufficient.

The Praesidion is designed for use in hygiene-critical areas such as clinics and hospitals as well as in high-traffic public buildings and offices.

Another focal point of the Ophardt stand was a "Guess the number of Pumps" competition. An indeterminate number of single-use sanitiser pumps were placed inside a perspex container and visitors were invited to estimate how many there were. And the prize? A free-standing hand sanitiser dispenser of one's very own.